The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1887-02-17
HAY AND MOIST FEED.
A Comparison of Their Value Favorable
the Ensilage System.

A Comparison of Their Value Favorable tC
the Ensilage System.
There is not, in general, a perfect
understanding as to the real feeding
value of hay, as compared to the grass
before being made into hay, simply BY
drying-nothing more than this. moth
ing less. Chemistry will show that if a
pound OF green grass, or any other
amount, be placed in a glass retort, and
heated to the extent of, say one hun
dred degrees Fahr., the mass will give
off moisture, and if this moisture be
condensed by a refrigerator. what is
given off will be water, and nothing
else, and the grass in the retort Will be
gradually dried into hay. Then, if this
dry hay be analyZed, al the same time
subjectinga a like amount of green grass
10 that put into the retort to like pro-
cess Of analysis, the dried grass will be
found to contain all the nutritive con-
stituentS that are contained in the green
grass. and in like ar1ount The curing.
therefore, takes nothing away that
water will not at once replace.
This, on 4 small scale, represents the
process that goes on in the meadow
while hay is being made. and if the
wafer that escapes in the curing process
could be saved and condensed, it would
be found to be water and nothing else.
No nutritious elements escape in the
curing, as is easily established in the
manner referred to. There is, we admit,
an odOr that escapes in the curing pro-
cess of hay, but. on ana lysis. this is not
detected, and this process. applied to
fresh. thoroughly cured hay, will reveal
the same state as that present in
the grass cured in the retort-
namely, that all the elements of
nutrition are present, nothing having
been parted with except water. The
odOr referred to, given off during the
curing process, is discOverable in the
meadow during the growing state, is
intensified during the curing, but is an
ETHEREAL substance of the minutest anil
most intangible character, and without
value to the hay while present. nor is
any loss entailed when it is parted with.
Apples, pears and peaches give off an
odor peculiar to each, and though kept
during the entire fall and winter, filling
the air of the room in which they may
be stored with the odor referred TO, no
valuable quality is lost, nor is the flavor
leSsened by the escape of this odor.
Now. there are valuable lessons to be
drawa from what is stated in the fore
goiEg. Not long since, we gave express
sion to views regarding the amount of
water required by farm animals, based
upon the fact that four-fifths of the body
is made mp OF water, and the waste of
this material goes on so rapidly, escap-
ing by the lungs. by the skin, by the
bladder and by the bowels, that good
deal of water must be taken by animals
daily, else the system will suffer in its
tone, and lose in its weight. Now, this
brings us to a main and practical point
in the recital-namely, that in feeding
dry hay, farm animals are liable TO get
altogether disproportion of dry sub
stance as compared to the moisture that
goes into the system. Hence. during
the winter, this is one great cause of
shrinkage in animals. 1t is partly this
that has given ensilage its present
favorable reputation.-National LIE
Stock Journal.